Quick Facts
E 27°16'48''
Budget Getaways Review
For a weekend of off-the-grid rural living, look no further than Grootfontein Private Nature Reserve.
This working family farm is situated on 12 000 hectares (yip, 12 000!) of Limpopo bushveld, about 30-minutes drive on dirt from Thabazimbi.
You have a number of bed options...
Aloe Lodge is a four-sleeper thatched retreat with mind-blowing views from the rock pool and deck. Evenings here are generally spent cozying up in the lapa or around the braai. If you're expecting company, there are four camping spots dotted around the Lodge to handle the overflow.
Giant Rock Lodge is perched beneath tall fig trees and perfect for a small family. The cottage sleeps four and comes with bonus of cement swimming pool and boma with braai.
Next up, Voelstop Lodge - aka birders paradise. This two-bedroom house has an open and closed braai area, a deck, and several shady spots for the twitchers, who are in for a treat with 150+ resident bird species.
The Mountain Retreat Camp is a bare-bones campers paradise. Rising above the African plains, the camp offers a braai, toilet and water tank – and that's about it.
All the above are self-catering. Tip: bring along your favorite pillow and nice furry blankey, as linen is not provided.
Grootfontein is 100% off-grid - gas showers and fridges and solar-powered lights and satellite TV will be the order of your weekend.
On site activities are in no short supply. Mountain biking, hiking trails, swimming, birdwatching, kayaking, and even on-foot game viewing is up for grabs. As are hosted weekends for photographers and artists.
A one-of-a-kind getaway for all ye nature-loving Budget weekenders.
"Enjoyed our stay at Grootfontein. We stayed in Voelstop with our two little ones (3 and 1 year old). We mountain biked, hiked and did some game drives on the farm. Our little ones really loved the trampoline, the rock pool (at Aloe Lodge) and running around on the farm! The accommodation was rustic and Jan was probably the friendliest host we have ever met. Thanks for a great long weekend!"
(, April 2013)
"Thanks Jan. We loved the farm and your fabulous hospitality!"
(, August 2012)
Where You'll Also Find Us
Arniston (Waenhuiskrans) • Barrydale • Beaufort West • Betty's Bay • Bonnievale • Bot River • Bredasdorp • Caledon • Calitzdorp • Cape Agulhas and Struisbaai • Cape Town area • Ceres • Citrusdal • Clanwilliam & Cederberg • Darling • De Rust • Franschhoek • Gansbaai • George • Grabouw & Elgin Valley • Greyton • Heidelberg • Hermanus • Knysna • Ladismith • Laingsburg • Lamberts Bay • Langebaan • Malgas • Matjiesfontein • McGregor • Montagu • Mossel Bay • Napier • Oudtshoorn • Paarl • Paternoster • Plettenberg Bay • Porterville • Prince Albert • Pringle Bay • Pringle Bay, Betty's Bay and Kleinmond • Riebeek West and Riebeek-Kasteel • Riversdale • Riviersonderend • Robertson • St Helena Bay • Stanford • Stilbaai • Strand, Gordon's Bay and Somerset West • Swellendam • Tulbagh • Uniondale • Velddrif • Vermaaklikheid • Wellington • Wilderness • Witsand • Worcester & Hex Valley • Yzerfontein • Baviaanskloof • Cape St Francis • Cape St Francis & St Francis Bay • East London • Graaff-Reinet • Hogsback • Jeffreys Bay • Makhanda (Grahamstown) • Middelburg • Nieu-Bethesda • Rhodes • Sutherland